What does Trotsky mean when he talks about “a historical crisis of the leadership of the proletariat”?

“The objective prerequisites for the proletarian revolution have not only ‘ripened’, they have begun to get somewhat rotten.” What does Trotsky mean by this metaphor? Why is the fruit of revolution rotting? What “catastrophe threatens the whole culture of mankind”?

The proletariat and its leadership

Why does Trotsky characterize the “old workers organizations” as having “treacherous politics”? What makes the politics of these organizations treacherous?

Trotsky criticized proletarian leadership of the period as having an “opportunist character”. To what extent does proletarian leadership today have an opportunist character? Give examples. __________________ *Page numbers refer to Pathfinder Press, Third edition, 1977. The minimum program and the transitional program

What were the conditions which made it necessary to help the masses in the process of the daily struggle to find a bridge between present demands and the socialist program of revolution? Why was help required? Is it still required?

What is a transitional demand? Give some examples of transitional demands with contemporary relevance. Explain why each of these demands is transitional in character.

What is the concept of a minimum and maximum program as put forward by classical social democracy? Why is this concept flawed?

Why do Trotskyists continue to fight for minimal demands? What is the relationship between minimal and transitional demands?

Class III: Transitional Demands for Workplace Organizing

Required reading: Transitional Program, pages 115-126.

Supplementary reading: Electoral platforms from the Yolanda Alaniz and Heidi Durham 1991 Seattle City Council and Guerry Hoddersen 1998 State Representative election campaigns.

Study questions

Sliding scale of wages and sliding scale of hours

Explain the sliding scale of wages and working hours. What relevance does this demand have for us today?

Why does Trotsky dismiss claims that such demands are “unrealizable”? What is his response?

Trade unions in the transitional epoch

Why does Trotsky condemn “self isolation of the capitulationist variety from mass trade unions”? What role should revolutionaries play in unions?

Why does Trotsky condemn “trade union fetishism”? What are the limits of unionism?

Factory committees

Why do you think Trotsky cautions against “routine handling” of situations? What does this mean for how we might work? What is a factory committee? Why did Trotsky advocate this form of organization in 1938? Given the conditions in the trade union movement/workplaces in 2000 should we advocate factory committees now? Why/why not?

“Business secrets” and workers’ control of industry

Why is the abolition of business secrets the first step towards the actual control of industry?

What does Trotsky mean when he says “workers’ control becomes a school for a planned economy”?

Expropriation of separate groups of capitalists

Explain the difference between expropriation and nationalization. Why might we raise the call to expropriate a particular branch of industry but not the entire economy? Can you think of recent examples of when this may have been appropriate?

Expropriation of private banks and state-ization of the credit system

What are the benefits of the state-ization of credit? How can these benefits be fully realized?

The picket line/defense guards/workers’ militia/the arming of the proletariat

Why does Trotsky caution workers against relying on the “sacredness of democracy?” What does he counterpose?